AuctionHouse Magnus
by HeartBeatFailure-x
Summary: Alec saw how utterly lost Magnus was, his eyes swimming in times gone by with his arms trying to hold his body in the present. He reached a hand out and placed it on Magnus' hand, but he waved it off a little too violently for Alec to think he was forgiven. 3 Chapters only.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: It's in shadow-hunter world and Magnus is a warlock, like usual.**

He couldn't figure out whose idea it was. He was leaning towards Alec, but his boyfriend surely must've had the insight to know that this was not a good idea. Magnus was excited on the way there; Alec was promising that it'd be a nice day out and the weather was certainly backing him up. And that was all it took. A good day out with Alec surely _was _a good idea and nothing could ruin it. They had never been out together on an outing or date or anything where it had been utterly terrible. So Magnus had no reason to suspect this was going to be any different – but when they arrived and The Usual Suspects were there, arm in arm, hand in hand – he couldn't help but feel slightly irked. Alec had told him that it'd be a good day out for the two of them, so maybe he didn't plan on the others showing up. But that wasn't the point. The point was _the place. _Thus began Magnus' process of elimination. Isabelle wouldn't be seen buying _anything _unless it was genuine, which wasn't likely. Simon looked too out of place for himself to be the culprit. Jace had probably never even heard of the place – let alone know what to do in one. Clary was all smiles, and Magnus knew she liked her trinkets – so maybe it was her idea. But the idea of her suggesting it to Alec made no sense to him.

"Was this your idea? Or theirs?" Magnus asked, frowning a little. Alec smiled lightly.

"Why?" He asked cautiously.

"Because it's a very bad idea" Magnus nodded for emphasis, but Alec took it as Magnus being Magnus and laughed it off. Alec seemed strangely well acquainted with the auction house, having an eye for the small, pretty things and the smaller unfortunate items that were damaged. That in itself worried Magnus when he thought about it, but he could barely leave the corner.

He was watching them move about, Izzy and Simon looking at the old jewellery in the cabinets, Jace and Clary spying some angelic glass figurines. Why the hell had they brought him here? _This, _was _not _a good day. But Alec's face… he was clearly enjoying the displays, the items, the history. Magnus shuddered and made a bee-line for his boyfriend, looking at nothing else until he reached him. He had to try and make an effort.

"Look" Alec raised something up on his hand with care.

"Fake" Magnus murmured, flipping the tea-cup upside down and checking the bottom for a watermark or signature. With a scoff, he set the cup down and walked off. Alec was hot on his heels, slipping his hand into Magnus'.

"I thought you might find something you like" Alec confessed. _So it was his idea. _"Something we both like – to put in the apartment or something" Alec steered him through the aisles, attention flitting here and there and everywhere. They slowed at the paintings and Alec's face went bright. Magnus bit his lip as he watched his boyfriend's eyes roam the canvasses, the frames and the colours and the detail. His gaze eventually fell on one near the bottom and Alec found the price tag. He stood looking thoughtful, turning dubiously to Magnus.

"Any thoughts?" He asked. Magnus wasn't going to tell him it was a copy, that the frame-work was machine-made and not hand-made. But he supposed that was more of a preference than anything else.

"It won't match the carpet" He settled with, walking off before Alec could try and make a play for it. They continued down the aisles, Alec finding some dark and bright objects that set each other off. Alec had then found the book corner, with many bookshelves and twice as many books, all old and new. His fingers picked out an ancient edition of a novel, handling it with care. Its cover was leather, it's pages yellow and frayed. But it looked loved. He turned to find Magnus eyeing the bookshelf, a tall, dark-wood object with uncanny engravings and intricate patterns on the sides. The feet were golden animal heads, but Alec couldn't make it out. He took Magnus' attention to the bookcase as a good sign, but approached him carefully.

"We can always use more bookshelves" Alec reasoned, seeing the scrutinising expression on Magnus' face. Suddenly, he was close, their arms linked together, their bodies inches apart. Alec didn't have time to back away or even scold Magnus for being _very public. _

"The wood has been repainted, the detail is all machine made and those feet – they're brass. Painted gold. _Painted!_" Alec bit his lip. "_Why _do people modify things like that?" Magnus whipped himself away and Alec sighed,accepting Magnus' evaluation. _Bye bye bookshelf. _

The afternoon continued just like that. Alec would find a few things, but Magnus would shoot them down and ruin it. Alec had found a few items that he genuinely quite liked – but Magnus was quick to inform him that the art-deco period was _not _brilliant and that if he bought it, it wouldn't _not _be going in their flat. Alec put it down sternly and began giving Magnus his Countdown. Alec would tolerate his behaviour for no more than three times more, before he was sure he'd either make the warlock go home, or simply abandon him somewhere. It really _wasn't _Alec's idea to come here, but the idea interested him and the place – once he was there – had certainly caught his attention. Magnus wasn't being helpful, but then again, perhaps Alec hadn't thought he'd be this irritable.

Alec didn't even ask for Magnus' opinion on the mirror – but he must've caught him looking at the ornately decorated piece. Magnus scowled at it, muttering '_Piece of shit' _under his breath before walking away. Alec caught up to Magnus, not bothering to ask what was wrong with the mirror, but Magnus explained anyway that it was 'hollow' and 'simply visually aesthetic'. Alec didn't know what else a mirror _could _be if not to be _looked _at and in.

_Two lives. _He sighed and debated walking somewhere else to simply avoid Magnus and his irritability, but the warlock kept to his side adamantly. Alec didn't dare touch anything in fear of Magnus damaging its impression in Alec's mind. He really liked the look of the cufflinks in the cabinet – but Magnus hadn't caught onto them yet and they were still a growing interest in Alec's head. The warlock turned to look at something else and Alec stole his chance, looking at the detailing on the cuffs. Then, the hairs rose on the back of his neck and he _knew _Magnus had spotted him. With a flick of glance, he saw Magnus pull an amused expression before walking away shaking his head. Alec left them alone and followed.

_One more life. _

Magnus' last life wasn't wasted on Alec. He'd managed to find Jace and Clary in a section with old watches, Clary taking a liking to a silver one in particular. Alec was close behind, and he heard the beginnings of a debate when Magnus began questioning the seller on the watch like an interrogation officer. The seller obviously couldn't tell Magnus what he wanted to know and made them all leave much to Clary's annoyance when Magnus took it upon himself to inspect the item. Magnus told her that the watch was not real silver and was probably machine made anyway, and it most definitely wasn't genuine like '_most of this crap'. _Alec stopped dead in fury before grabbing Magnus' arm and steering him outside.

He found somewhere with hardly any people and shoved Magnus against the wall – sure enough, any remaining people soon left. The warlock straightened himself immediately, his face set.

"You're going to blame me" Magnus said, tonelessly.

"Why are you being difficult?" Alec frowned, irritated. "I don't want to blame you – I just don't understand why you're being like this"

"Like what? Like me?" Magnus prompted. Alec shook his head and stepped back. He wouldn't hit the warlock, never in his life did he think he ever _could, _but the wall was very close and it could be a possibility. He didn't want to cause a scene, though.

"I thought you _liked _this sort of thing" Something made Magnus tingle all over and the hairs raise on his nape. He wondered if it was because Alec seemed sure of something that was totally wrong.

"You thought that a warlock as old as me would enjoy being taken to a warehouse _full _of memorabilia from decades and centuries – _lifetimes _ago?"

"I thought you'd take it better" Alec snapped. "I thought you'd pick things up and….say what they were _for _or who might've owned them – be a bit more interested than … _arrogant_"

"You wanted a history lesson?" Magnus all but laughed. His head turned to the side and Alec saw a flicker of…dare he think, vulnerability. "You wouldn't like it if I took you to a graveyard that held every person, relic or memory that you had ever encountered" He said quietly. "But if I did, would you want to explain to me its history?" Wasn't that a bit of an exaggeration? In truth, Alec had wondered if Magnus would react like this. The thought had crossed his mind that the warlock would be uncomfortable in that type of environment, but Magnus was Magnus. And Alec was sure that it wouldn't have phased him. It hurt knowing that he'd got it wrong. But it hurt even more that Magnus wasn't going to share his past like Alec wanted him to.

"Half of the items in that warehouse would do better at a car-boot sale" Magnus said harshly. "The other half that _deserve _to be noted, they're being marvelled as – as _vintage. _They're memories. People owned them, _used _them. And now they're being sold because they're _pretty, _or they'll do as …. As _ornaments" _Magnus pulled a face. "Those porcelain dolls – did you see them?" Alec hadn't – he wasn't sure why Magnus had, but he nodded. "They were played with by Victorian children" Alec's heart skipped as he saw the lost look in Magnus' eyes, like they were travelling back in time and caught there with those dolls. "They set them up at tables, had tea parties with them, compared them, dressed them – cared for them like real newborns" He blinked rapidly. "Now they're in glass cabinets for fear of being tossed into a wall, because people don't appreciate them how they used to" Alec didn't know what to say, he could hardly launch into a debate about how '_times are a'changin' _but he watched sympathetically as Magnus wrapped his arms around himself. "Some of the things in there need to be checked over by specialists" He murmured quietly. "They'd do well in a museum" Alec saw how utterly lost Magnus was, his eyes swimming in times gone by with his arms trying to hold his body in the present. He reached a hand out and placed it on Magnus' hand, but he waved it off a little too violently for Alec to think he was forgiven. "Every object in there has a story – a novels worth of life. And I can see it all as plain as I see you" He began chewing his bottom lip thoughtfully, his eyes boring into Alec's. "Ok" He murmured, sighing. "Ok" He said again, for encouragement. He started pacing, murmuring about novels, stories, history and relics. Then, he took Alec's hand in his and they re-entered the auction house.

Magnus flitted from one table to the other, eyes surveying everything, _everywhere, _but Alec wasn't sure what for. He didn't dare speak. Magnus only released his hand once or twice to move past a few things, survey a few more paintings. But then their hands were back together. The way Magnus was moving reminded Alec strangely of a fire fighter, who'd gone back inside a burning house full of flames to find something in particular. His face had that urgency pinned to it, a determination, a _desperation _that Alec hadn't seen before. Finally, Magnus stopped, eyes wide and alert. He'd found something. Alec peered over his shoulder as he touched a cane, stacked with some more in an ugly looking pot. He pulled it out, slipping the cane from its sheath and smiling. He waved the seller over and began questioning it. Alec watched with his fingers balled up at his sides, nervously waiting as the seller managed to determine that the cane was probably Victorian. Magnus waved the man off and turned to Alec, cane in hand.

"It's actually Edwardian" He said, sadly. He ran his hand over it, and to Alec, it transformed itself from a battered wooden stick to a piece of Magnus' past. "Terribly ill used" Magnus said quietly. "So…the top is worn" He tipped it for Alec to see, a circular smooth-shaped sphere looking comforting. But it was damaged and chipped and the colour was faded. "Indicates a weight, it's been _used _but not properly. That is not the mark of a worn-in cane" With a swift motion, Magnus had it precisely balanced on the back of his wrist, the cane's damaged body exposed. Alec could practically see the hurt reflecting in Magnus' eyes. "It's been used as a prop – to hold something up. See how it bows like this?" A finger tickled the length with care. "It's probably been used as a weapon" Alec's eyes widened. "By a _child _mind you – see the chips and dents?" Magnus continued. "A sword, or a stick…once, it was probably loved" Magnus bit his lip and put it back, linking his arm through Alec's. "Did you know that King Louis the….the fourteenth, of France, his cane was decorated with jewels and diamonds" Alec daren't say anything so he settled for an encouraging nod. "He thought them prestigious. Icons of wealth. Icons of _his _wealth" He amended. "So he didn't allow his subjects to have canes in his presence" Magnus then frowned. "The Dandies often had them…eventually it came over to Britain somewhere over the eighteenth century"

"Dandies?" Alec echoed, trying not to laugh.

"They were like bohemians. They rejected bourgeois values, liked a carefree lifestyle, didn't really belong anywhere in society"

"Like you, I'd imagine" Alec braved a smile and Magnus caught it – but he turned away unaffected.

"I had my place" Magnus said quietly. "But the Dandies emulated the aristocracy, not like the bohemians who'd rather live like peasants"

"Ooooo" Alec said. "Peasants?" Magnus smiled a little.

"Dandies appreciated appearance. They indulged in elegance – white gloves were adored – they spent most of their day prepping themselves to look _just right. _They were mostly French, mind you_" _

"Are you sure you weren't a Dandy?" Alec asked, cheekily. Magnus neither confirmed nor denied it, but something in his eyes made Alec leave the topic alone. "So…these Dandies …made canes popular?"

"I guess. It was at it's prime all over Europe during the nineteenth century. People with money topped them with silver – _real _silver. Often an animal head. Jem had a...a dragon, I think" Alec's breath hitched at the mention of the historic name and he bit his lips closed. "You know canes were also used for hiding things? Liquor, powders- drugs" He amended. "Weapons were common too, Jem hid his blade inside his" Alec nodded, glancing to Magnus and watching as his eye found something else and he paused. It was the watch seller again, putting out a few more things on his table.


	2. Chapter 2

_Alec nodded, glancing to Magnus and watching as his eye found something else and he paused. It was the watch seller again, putting out a few more things on his table._

A stop watch, Alec thought. Magnus' fingers had reached for it before he could ask – but the seller was trying to get them to leave again. Magnus simply waved his hand and the man seemed to forget about them all together. Alec leaned in carefully.

"What's this, then?" It wasn't a stop-watch, Alec could tell now.

"Pocket watch…eerily similar to one I used to own…" He did a quick assessment, running his hand over a small engraving on the back. "It's marked, see. Real silver" He then opened the small cover and there was another engraving on the inside. Alec half expected it to say "M.B." on it, or something, in classic elegant script. But that would have been far too strange and coincidental. Or very, very Magnus. Inscribed was _'For F.C, who has all my time and love. L.W.' _

"I'm assuming you don't know anybody with the initials F.C. and L.W.?"

"It wasn't uncommon to give these as gifts" Magnus said quietly.

"Was _yours _a gift?" Magnus nodded and it made Alec slightly jealous. "Who from?" Magnus smirk told Alec he wasn't going to like it.

"Camille" His blood ran cold and he tried not to look annoyed. "But it was the most beautiful I've ever encountered – fitting of her, I think"

"Maybe I should get you one" He muttered, like a child. Magnus whipped around with all the grace of a gentleman and started walking backwards, hands clasped behind his back as he gave Alec a cross look.

"Jealousy suits you as much as those hole-filled jumpers you wear" Now that was a statement and a half! Alec gaped, but continued walking to wherever Magnus was backwards-walking to. Alec knew that Magnus liked his holey jumpers because they were simply Alec. But he hated them because they didn't 'show off his best features'. Did that mean Magnus liked a jealous Alec, even though Jealousy wasn't exactly an attractive feature?

"I'm sorry" He said, hoping the warlock would accept. "Clearly I hadn't thought this through"

"Double edged sword" Magnus shrugged, turning to walk normally as his hand flitted over an oriental looking vase. "I wouldn't come here voluntarily, put it that way" Alec kept his eyes to the floor, following Magnus' shoes. "However, I do know another auction house about eighteen miles out…." Alec looked up, hopeful. "You may think me a snob, Alexander, but if we're going to do this, we're doing it properly"

Which is how they found themselves at an 'upmarket' auction house after secretly making a portal out from one of the tiny toilet stalls. Alec gaped at the seven-figure price tags.

"How can a painting be worth _that _much?" He whispered, horrified. Magnus trailed a finger in the air, it's shadow sweeping over a signature at the bottom.

"Original" Magnus murmured. "Quite pretty, actually"

"We can't afford any of these" Alec shook his head in confusion.

"I know people – see if you can find anything you like"

"Magnus!" Alec was confused. "You _know _people, what does that even mean?"

"Calm down, dear" Magnus shifted closer and hooked his arm gracefully through Alec's. "It means I'm able to make deals with certain people if you take a liking to a particular thing – price is no matter here" Alec felt completely out of his comfort zone.

"How can price be no matter?" He whispered. "The prices _obviously _matter, else they wouldn't be so high"

"The price is higher because the object is valued"

"I'm not stupid" Alec grated, suddenly aware of how comfortable Magnus looked. Alec saw now, that Magnus would rather spend his time on money on pieces of history that were _valued. _Despite this, Alec couldn't help but love all the little things at the old auction house, memorabilia from people who weren't well known, or could afford such delights as these. Alec understood that it meant something else entirely to Magnus – that the things in the old auction house probably only seemed 'a few years ago' to the warlock and not very important. Here, though, Magnus' interest was all but glowing from his face – like it was a proper history for him. Alec slowed his walking, finding a wooden box that peaked his interest. Six figure tag. He gingerly released the price tag and tried not to touch anything else.

"Would be great for those small candles you got me for Christmas" Magnus mused, and Alec suddenly_ felt _how settled Magnus looked in their new surroundings. He picked up the box and eyed it. "Redwood" Magnus nodded, happy. "Do you like?"

"Not enough for six figures" Alec shuddered and took the box from Magnus, putting it back and moving him elsewhere.

"We need picture frames" The warlock mused. "For the wall – the tables are getting cramped" Alec had seen what had sparked the mention – ornate frames of varying shapes and sizes displayed on a wall. "Ooo" Magnus' floated and Alec followed him to a small set of frames, decorated with silver – _possibly diamonds – _pearls, and pure-black stones. "Victorian. Too small for the walls, really. But they're beautiful, aren't they?"

"Yeah" Alec whispered, watching the frames sparkle in the light. Next to the hung frames were mirrors, ones that Magnus seemed to like looking at now.

"This probably came from a grand stately home – possibly British" He bit his lip and examined every bit of the mirror. "Mid seventeenth century, I'd say. Rough estimate, though. I wonder why they're selling..."

"Maybe they don't like it in the house" Alec reasoned, and saw that Magnus was trying not to look too much like a parent ready to say '_Bless his little soul!'. _

"The mirror itself is original" Magnus explained. "It's the original mirror with the original frame. In _other _auction houses, sometimes the mirror has been separately bought because it's been broken for whatever reason. Here – I'm willing to bet the two are marked identically"

"So..." Alec prompted.

"The reflective surfaces of the mirrors themselves cost a lot to make during the seventeenth-eighteenth century. Only the rich could afford them. As there is always more poor than rich, each-" Magnus' voice lowered as a few people walked a little too close. "Each mirror from that time period is heavily valued and sought after. Check the tag" Alec found the price tag and gaped, his eyes widening. "See" Magnus grinned. "Chances are it's probably got a buyer from a museum or a collector – that's what this means" Magnus pointed to something but Alec didn't see. He was trying to get his vision to stop seeing seven digits.

"For a mirror?" He repeated quietly.

"A _quality _mirror" Magnus corrected, hooking their arms as they glided away elsewhere. Magnus soon found a cabinet and peeled off his leather glove, his finger tracing the texture. Alec daren't touch _anything, _but Magnus brought his hand over and made Alec's finger brush it. It wasn't textured as he thought it'd be.

"Weird..." Alec murmured. "Glass?"

"It's reverse-painted – or, technically _verre églomisé_" Alec didn't need to ask him to translate. "Named after the French decorator somebody Glomy – eighteenth century. Spread to Italy, Venice – influenced the Renaissance art, then became favoured by the _church _and nobility through most of central Europe_" _Magnus paused for a millisecond. "Often painted on clock faces, cabinet fronts. More for every day decoration. It preserved the colour and made it easier to look after and clean – didn't need t worry about the colour fading. See how's it's still vibrant?" Alec didn't particularly care, but Magnus' face was far too child-like for him to not agree. "Pretty, eh?" Magnus shifted onto something else, leaving Alec grinning to himself. When he'd caught up to the warlock, he'd found something else.

"Spoons?" Alec questioned. "We have enough cutlery, don't we?"

"We wouldn't _use _them" Magnus shook his head, horrified. "They're Exeter teaspoons. Not extremely uncommon – but they're real silver. Marked, see" He ran his finger over another engraving. "They were more to make a statement. Afford silver spoons, you're comfortable"

"Comfortable?" Alec echoed.

"Not royalty-ritch, but not dirt-poor. You had enough to show you didn't need to worry" Alec made a noncommittal noice of acknowledgement and Magnus turned to him, amused. "Bored yet of my history lesson?"

"No!" Alec shot, eyes wide. "I just don't care much for..._spoons" _ Magnus raised his eyebrows.

"Then what do you care for?" He asked. Alec didn't know. _Just not spoons. _"Hm" Magnus seemed to note his lack of a decision and steered him elsewhere. Alec caught sight of a huge blob of gold and halted. Magnus saw and manouvered them closer through the gaps. It wasn't a first-saw-first-grab environment like the other auction house. It was slower, calmer, with people who knew what they were looking at and knew not to touch. Apart from Magnus, that was, who was reaching into the cabinet and taking it out. The seller came over instantly.

"Anything I can help you with?" He asked, back straight, hands clasped behind his back looking important. "It's a fantastic little thing, isn't it?" _Little? _Alec daren't say a thing, so he braved a smile and hoped Magnus would talk.

"It is..." He said quietly, turning it – _oh God – _upside down! Alec held his breath and the seller looked intrigued. Then Magnus moved it about, up and down, checking it's weight in his hand. The seller coughed. "It _is _pure gold – perhaps a little out of your price range?"

"You don't know what my price range is, sir" Magnus' eyes glinted with excitement and Alec felt a challenge. "Would you let me discuss it with my partner here, please?" The man looked dubious but moved aside, his eyes on the two of them the whole time. Alec tried not to feel like he'd just robbed a bank, but he wished Magnus would put it away. The warlock did, sensing the others unease.

"It's a broach" Magnus still eyed it, his eyes reflecting his excitement.

"Bit big, isn't it?" _Big?_ It was about the size of Alec's fist.

"Pure gold, though. Heavy – sturdy. Probably used more as a hat decoration than an actual broach. It's too feminine"

"Pure gold? A _hat _decoration?"

"The rich women didn't get accosted as much as the men. Their male counterparts protected their women and their jewels, should it happen, but the women of high society tended to stick in certain circles and stay there"

"Another show of wealth?"

"Isnt that all the rich were good for?" Magnus said quietly. "Ah most of them, anyway"

They continued on like this for another hour, until something evidently had securely captured Magnus' attention. They'd walked passed it a few times, walked away from it even - and Alec still saw the thoughts flicker on Magnus' face. He hadn't got a good look at the item, but he knew Magnus had.

"What was it? Back there?" He asked quietly.

"Nothing" Magnus was trying to throw him off.

"Show me" Alec pleaded, halting their steps. "I might like it" Magnus flinched. "Unless I'm not supposed to" He trailed off, hoping to get some sort of reaction. "We can shop any day for things for the apartment. If you like it, for you, then let's go look" Alec spun them around and started walking back to the vague direction of the seller he thought Magnus had slowed at. At some point, the lead had stopped and Magnus was manoeuvring Alec to the item – halting in front of a table full of gold and silver objects.

Magnus' eyes were focussed on a blade and sheath, placed separately on the table with the sheath placed above the knife almost a centimetre away.

The sheath was ornately decorated with jewels that Alec suspected were real, embedded strategically and sparsely. It was primarily silver, with underlying engravings of gold strands for highlights and definition. They wound their way up the sheath like ivy, where Alec's eyes shifted to the knife – it's hilt a continuous array of gold and silver dust.

It looked different, not a lavish show of wealth, but a lavish show of power. Of beauty and grace and strength – a promise of something swift and sure. Alec appreciated it at first glance as a weapon, then as a relic.


	3. Chapter 3

_They wound their way up the sheath like ivy, where Alec's eyes shifted to the knife – it's hilt a continuous array of gold and silver dust. It looked different, not a lavish show of wealth, but a lavish show of power. Of beauty and grace and strength – a promise of something swift and sure. Alec appreciated it at first glance as a weapon, then as a relic._

"They can sell knives?" Alec whispered, careful not to offend anyone – watching Magnus' reaction.

"It's a blade" Magnus corrected softly with a nod. His gloved finger traced the glass case, above where the blade and it's engraving would be if the surface wasn't there. Magnus' eyes narrowed.

"Real silver?" Alec hoped, wanting Magnus to see that he _had _learned something from the warlocks teachings.

"The sheath and hilt, yes. The-" Magnus quietened again as a few people passed them a little too closely. Alec realised Magnus fingers had balled into fists, so he took one discreetly in his hands and began rubbing. "The blade itself ..." Magnus spare hhand left the surface as his head tilted to get a better look. He then shifted Alec to see what he saw, the knife glinting a steady shift of silver and metal. He gaped. "It was forged with a small amount of silver laced into the process – see it?"

"A silver blade..." Alec trailed off, instantly thinking about multiple things including werewolves and their disadvantage at being attacked with weapons laced with silver – and why hadn't it become a problem?- and confusion raced over his face.

"What are you thinking?" Magnus murmured, watching Alec's face change frome motion to emotion.

"Nothing – still in warrior-mode. Obviously" He shook his head. If Magnus saw the object as something precious then he wouldn't want to know that the first thing Alec had thought of was would it kill werewolves? Had it been made to?

"Probably" Magnus said, smiling. "Whatever you're thinking – and I know you're thinking something to do with certain..._puppies... _you're probably right" Alec shuddered. "A story for another time, perhaps" Magnus turned back to the knife and Alec did too, seeing the inscription properly now and realising it was a word. "Latin?"

"Retinere" Magnus said softly. "Retain" He translated. In a moment of brave confidence, Alec waved over the seller and questioned him on the price. He hadn't spied a price tag and he was sure it'd be beyond eight figures – but Magnus was hooked on it. The seller explained it's original price, and then that a reserve had been placed on it by someone. A someone who had bid a whole three times more than the original nine figure asking price. Alec visibly paled and he tried not to look too disappointed.

"Magnus..." He was going to apologise or something, but Magnus asked who had made the reserve?

"I can't say. I'm sorry" Magnus nodded understandably.

"Can you tell me if it was a private buyer, or personal?" Alec didn't know what that meant, but the seller admitted it was personal and Magnus thanked him as he left. "If the buyer was private, it would be a company – a museum or something. Personal means it's not"

"You're going for it, aren't you?" Alec asked, worriedly.

"There's a damn good story behind it" Magnus said fondly. "And I can't let it fall into anybody else's hands" Alec watched the warlocks eyes shift to him, apologetic. "Shadow hunter or otherwise" He said quietly.

"So it can k-..._hurt...puppies" _He finished lamely, and Magnus looked serious when he nodded. "Alright...how much higher will you have to pay to get it?"

"High enough to irritate the other bidder" Magnus said vaguely. "Stay here – I'll sort it" Magnus vanished for five minutes and came back again with a card and looking nervous. "Auction starts in fifteen minutes. I need a drink – where was that cafe?" Alec didn't know, but followed as Magnus steered him about, trying to find the apparently none-extant cafe.

Alec found himself in awe when the auction started, the amounts of money that people had to spend on items...it was _insane. _They had to wait a while for the knife to come up – the wooden box that Magnus had suggested for the candles made an appearance, as did the mirror, but it was obvious that Magnus mind was on the knife.

When it came up, they announced the starting reserve and asked if anyone would bid higher. Magnus raised his card and the battle started. He was keeping an eye out for whoever else was bidding, but they could only see a flash of the card and nothing else. It went higher, higher – too high. Alec grounded himself in his seat, nervous, chewing his lip. Someone moved and he got a better look at the oppositions card. But not the person. The bid went higher and Alec could see the strain on Magnus' face. It reached a point and Magnus hesitated. The room fell quiet and there was a call for any more bidders. Alec swiped up Magnus' card and held it up again – the bid continued. Up and up and up; Magnus looking slightly proud and annoyed at the same time. Then, it stopped. The other bidder had stopped – and nobody else was going to bid that high. Magnus looked around, uncertain.

"Did we get it?" He asked quietly. Alec's grin told him they had. "Never take me here again" Magnus breathed out, rubbing his chin with his hand. "I think I've had enough for at least a decade"

"You got the blade" Alec all but sang, following a marshals directions to the store room where the blade was being held. Magnus followed behind, disbelieving. "I kind of enjoyed that" He admitted, watching Magnus smile in response. The marshal showed them the knife and Magnus confirmed it was the right one. They then settled payment agreements, which Magnus took the marshal to the side and began negotiating. The seller was then found and Magnus continued to negotiate _something _on the other side of the room privately. A chill crept up Alec's spine and he turned, seeing a pair of bright green eyes watching his. He glanced to the window, not realising how late it had gotten – and being winter, the dark night set in a lot earlier. He held his ground.

"I see _he _found it too" Camille turned away from Magnus' eyes should they find him, but kept herself close to Alec. "Was he looking, or did he stumble across it like the lucky lamb he is?"

"You were the other bidder" Alec stated quietly, glad that Magnus had taken the knife with him.

"It's a pretty thing, no?" She placed a sly smile on her face and looked dangerously beautiful. "Could do a few handy things with a weapon like that, _shadow hunter" _She sneered.

"I'm not negotiating with you – it's Magnus' knife now"

"Knife?" She pulled a face and turned away, still looking regal and so Camille he couldn't really describe it. "That's like calling Excalibur a cocktail stick, you understand" She turned to him carefully. "I wouldn't leave it around your apartment, if I were you" She stood straight to leave, but alert. Alec heard Magnus pacing towards them and she turned to leave. "Bravo, monsieur's" She congratulated.

"Camille" Magnus held the knife in the hand placed gentlemanly behind his back as he bowed to her, almost mockingly. She hid her defeat well and left with nothing but a hint of roses. "She was the other bidder?" Magnus presumed; Alec nodded.

"She said calling it a knife was like calling Excalibur a cocktail stick" Alec murmured.

"She has an uncanny way of describing things, doesn't she?" Magnus smiled a little though. "If she wasn't such a liar I'd admire her for it – she's mostly right" Alec raised his eyebrows. "She'll probably try and steal it – but that's ok"

"Ok?" Alec choked, watching Magnus wrap up the knife, safely in its sheath, then in a black velvet cloth followed securely in a neat little box.

"I'm not keeping it. It's a gift" Magnus explained.

"You spend all that money...on a gift?" Alec was slightly annoyed that the ludicrous amount of money was spent on a gift that wasn't for him.

"It doesn't belong in the hands of men. Or shadow hunters – nephilim, night-children or warlocks. It needs to go home"

"Home?" Alec frowned. "Where?"

"That would be the story" Magnus tapped his nose and they started walking out of the room, arm in arm. "It involves myself, a man you may have heard of – Woolsey Scott – a heavily-inclined promise and the loss of something _very important_ in the midst of a very bad few months"

"That would be the knife" Alec assumed, and Magnus nodded.

"It belongs with the werewolves" Alec supposed Magnus could have made it sound like giving a dog a bone, but he was surprised at the amount of respect Magnus obviously had for the artefact. "No weapon like it was forged after the massacre" Alec shivered at the word. Clearly the story was going to be a dark one. "But it can be lethal to them. In the wrong hands – fatal. In _Camille's _hands – I don't want to think what she'd do with it. Perhaps she'd humour me and keep it as a letter opener" Alec smiled at that. "No...It needs to be given back; they have a right to hold their history in their hands, and I intend to do it"

"Maybe you can go halves and make them pay half of the bill" Alec suggested.

"Last I checked, they weren't known for their wealth" Magnus chuckled.

"Well maybe you can bargain a _deal. _You're good at that, apparently" The idea wasn't lost, and Magnus nodded in appreciation. "But when we get home, I'm making coffee and you're going to explain this story to me. We can give it back later, yeah?" Magnus laughed and agreed, shoving Alec into the toilets for a quick kiss before opening a portal back to the other auction house. Nobody else had to know.


End file.
